Monty Crisco

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Monty Crisco
Flag montycrisco.png

[[Image:{{{coat of arms}}}|100px]]

Feudal Status: County
Capital: Cercé
Largest Cities: none

Local Leadership Title: The Count
Local Government: Feudal
Current leader: Erik Mortis

Local language: Istvanistani
Local Religion: Cedrism

County of Monty Crisco

A County within the Duchy of Brookshire, and within the Barony of Dolor, Monty Crisco is ruled by Erik Mortis.

Geography

Monty Crisco immediately borders the Counties of Alexandretta, Woodshire, Caverden, and Crestfallen Downs; of which the last is the only one it is not also within the Barony of Dolor with. The Northern and Eastern borders of the county are made up of the River Elwynn.

History

The history of Monty Crisco is not incredibly interesting, having never been at the forefront of politics or any military actions.

During the First Era, the region was populated by an indigenous population related to those found across the Elwynn in Goldshire, under the nominal leadership of the Krzyszko family, from which the modern county derives its name. After a rebellion against Imperial authority by the locals, Kaiser Raynor II installed the Line of Metzler to govern Monty Crisco.

During the Second Era, the Counts of Monty Crisco routinely attempted to seize the throne due to their possession of Imperial blood. The main line went extinct with the death of Kaiser John II and possession of Monty Crisco passed to the Line of Ly'Technomaezj-Metzler.

For a time it was a county under the Barony of Alexandretta, when such a barony existed, but with the dissolution of that barony it stood more or less alone. During the age of New Feudalism, it contracted with some other counties to form the Barony of Northern Brookshire, but was never an integral part of this barony. For it's entire history, except for a time when it had no ruler, it has been ruled over by Erik Mortis, as his personal fiefdom, having been the original namer of the county.

After the County pulled itself out of a major economic depression that had lasted for most of its modern history it start to gain in notice. From the rule of Kaiseress Anandja I onward the County of Monty Crisco has been in a constant state of rebellion against the throne. This rebellion is often quiet and little more then in name, but when pressed by the County often retaliates and escalates the conflict.

Culture

The culture of Monty Crisco can be simply described as "relaxed and groovy", with a hint of melancholy due to the almost apathetic attitudes of its residence. Monty Criscans take some pride in knowing that a fair number of kaisers of the Line of Metzler have hailed from their modest little county. Denizens of the county also feel a strong cultural and emotional connection to their neighboring county of Alexandretta owing to the two counties' common origins as part of the Barony of Alexandretta. It was for reasons of this nature that when the Barony of Dolor was created, it was the Monty Criscans who prevented it from being named Alexandretta. This might seem a surprise to some due to the close cultural ties between the two, but there is also a separation between the two counties that came about long ago that has never healed.

When pressed to explain in detail, most Monty Criscans will solemnly change the subject, and it is advised you follow their lead. The Legend of The Heart Broken Count seems to play an important historic and cultural role in Monty Crisco, so if you can get someone to talk about, pay close heed. As legend has it the divide can trace its roots back to when the two counties were linked together as a barony. In those days, according to stories, the Count of Monty Crisco and the Baroness/Countess of Alexandretta became impassioned lovers, which might explain the close ties between the two counties. However, for reasons rarely to never spoken of, the love affair came to a tragic and heart wrenching end. It is said that the count of the time was so distraught that he spiraled into a deep depression, and as a result the county as a whole suffered.

This story may also explain the high prevalence of depression within the county's population, tied with the previous economic troubles of the area.

From the reign of Kaiseress Anandja I onward the culture of the county began to shift to an increasingly radical one. Prone to bouts of rebellion and trouble making, the populace, led by the count, has rebelled against both Kaisers and Dukes. Due to this rebellious streak the county developed strong simpathies toward the Duchy of Yardistan, especially during the reign of Kaiser_Aurangzeb.

Militia

Despite its relaxed culture and relatively small part in any historical context, Monty Crisco was one of the first counties to develop a Militia for itself. Till the Creation of the Monty Crisco Airborne Militia, most military forces had been concentrated at the Barony level and higher. "The Corps", as it is known in Monty Crisco, is a militia under the direct command of the count and consists entirely of recruits from inside the county. The Corps is the only military force sanctioned by the county for internal defense and external actions. Though rarely called to service, the Corps has fought in a few limited engagements outside the county. Usually deployed within the Duchy of Brookshire or neighboring lands, the Corps once fought at the City of Shirekeep itself defending it against a rebellion. The Corps also had the distinction of precipitating the small conflict between the Kaiser and many noble in the Fall of 2007, when Kaiser Mors V had them deploy in Port Nevermore in the Barony of Lumina's Light for no explainable reason.

Literature